5 different audience targeting methods

5 different audience targeting methods

When marketers know their customers and prospects they are able to create messaging that is personally relevant and more effective. Personalization of brand experiences is a powerful way to drive engagement and conversion – and in digital advertising, personalization is driven by data.

Before the rise of digital marketing direct marketers relied on research of public information and other sources to collect data on their target audience. They bought mailing lists from catalog companies or purchased subscriber lists from magazines to reach out to potential customers. Audience segmentation and targeting are not new strategies, but digital data collection has significantly increased their impact on the success of marketing campaigns.

“Just like data, targeting comes in many varieties,” wrote Michael Goldberg, director of content at Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. “You can target users by looking at individual traits or behaviors, or you can target users by looking at external variables that may come into play when defining your ideal customer.”

Finding your target audience involves using different targeting strategies. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common targeting methods and how they can be valuable to a successful healthcare marketing strategy:

Audience targeting

This type of targeting allows you to distribute advertisements to unique individuals based on demographic data, according to Centro, Inc. Specific audience segmentations are typically created from first-party and third-party data and include information such as age, gender, income, education and interests.

Contextual targeting

This data is derived from third-party data and uses the type of content internet users are browsing as context for reaching them. Essentially, it is advertising based on highly searched keywords and relevant content. This type of targeting can be broad but also goes into highly specific segments, diving into areas from sports and entertainment to healthcare news, reported Centro.

Behavioral targeting

According to Dun & Bradstreet, Inc., behavioral targeting is used to reach individuals based on their specific habits and interests. The process involves compiling web searches, purchase histories, frequently visited websites and other information to create a full user profile. Marketers primarily use behavioral targeting to deliver messages to an audience that are likely to have the most interest in them.

Geotargeting

Much like audience targeting, geotargeting is used to deliver specialized messages to your audience based on their identity as it relates to their location. This method allows you to target IP addresses to dig deeper into specific geographic areas near you.

Retargeting

If you’re looking for a way to target individuals who have visited your site in the past, retargeting may be the best tactic for you. It’s a simple and effective way to bring customers and providers back to your page and keep them engaged in hopes of taking action on your site in the near future.

When it comes to choosing a targeting method, it is important to focus on your business goals. Each tactic is effective in its own way, but each one can help you increase your digital reach and target specific professionals using precise data and insights.